Re: Menus

[JR Tipton <nails maybe net>]

On Sat, 7 Nov 1998, The Doctor What wrote:
[snip my ramblings about 'why customization isn't the be-all and end-all]
[snip car-to-computer comparison]
> > or whateverelse) that went into the layout of the car works just about
> > fine for me.  I can get used to it.  I *do* get used to it.
[snip]
> their computers.  You make the comparison with a car.  I disagree.  You
> don't just *drive* your desktop and work evironment, you *live* in it.

Excellent point.

> In my opinoin, a desktop is like a living room.  You may redesign the
> furnature, but you do reorganize things.  Only hackers try to redesign the
> room and furnature (and power users to a lesser degree, but they prefer
> "modifiable" furnature).

Ah. This, too, is a good point.
 
[snip convincing antecdotal evidence]

This is what convinces me: the antectodtal evidence.  I like it.  After
reading your message I remembered many instances of watching people's fear
of "breaking" something get in the way of their desire to customize it...
which has got me thinking a bit off topic and way out in the 'blue sky',
but it got me thinking anyway =)  What if there was an ability on a
machine to tell it, "Hey, GNOME/WM/Whatever, I'm going to start screwing
around now and if I screw up, I'd like to return everything to here" that
wasn't just in a simple dialog box?  I know you can do these things in a
dialog box, i.e. change settings and cancel if you don't like them, but
what about a more global protection?  The basic fear of hurting the
computer hinders and restricts many people...

(Well written message, BTW.)

William R. Tipton
nails@maybe.net